Gardens of Salonica New Greek Café & Deli
19 5th St NE, Minneapolis, MN, 55413
Gardens of Salonica New Greek Café & Deli Menu
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Appetizers & Salads
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Soups Of The Day
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Entrees
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Platters
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Sides
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Boughatsa
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Pitza
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Sandwiches
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Desserts
Healthy Meal suggestions for Gardens of Salonica New Greek Café & Deli
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Appetizers & Salads
-
Soups Of The Day
-
Entrees
-
Platters
-
Sides
-
Boughatsa
-
Pitza
-
Sandwiches
-
Desserts
Visit below restaurant in Minneapolis for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Minneapolis for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
19 5th St NE
Minneapolis, MN, 55413 - Phone (612) 378-0611
- Website https://www.gardensofsalonica.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Romantic
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Greek Cuisine
Greek food is a fine melody of the finest pressed olive oil, fresh fermented bread, colorful vegetables, juicy meat, sea food all cooked in spices and fresh rosemary. The people from Greek were great scholars who aimed to excel in everything they do. The results are quite visible in their food as they are the inventors of olive oil which is beneficial to health. Greeks also made different type of wines from the best quality of grapes fermented in controlled environment.
Today, you can find hundreds of restaurants offering authentic Greek food or popularly termed as Mediterranean cuisine in New York city alone. People wait in line to taste the exotic Greek dishes like saganaki, taramasalata, souvlaki, loukoumades, spanakopita, moussaka, and many more. One thing which most people like about these authentic Greek dishes is abundant use of lemon juice, olive oil, fresh rosemary and sea salt. A smart mix of few ingredients can virtually take you on the pebble streets of beautiful city of Greece.
For those who don't have time to enjoy fine dining should try tasting the famous souvlaki with pita which is type of meat dish, also a trademark Greek fast food. For those who are vegetarian, or vegan can try different versions of Greek Salad. So, if you wish to enjoy a hearty yet healthy meal that tastes divine then try dining at the best Greek restaurant in your city. Greek cuisine not only tastes good but also help maintain your body in a natural way through healthy diet.
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Maxx M.
Three of us had a nice lunch today--first time visit. First of all, this place is a little hard to find. They have a small beige colored sign that projects out from the building. This is in stark contrast to Conga, which is on the opposite corner and marked with huge letters and super bright colors. STARTERS: We had Lentil Soup, Cod Soup, Ambelodolmades, and Octapodi. All of it was very good. I'm not a big fan of sea food...but my friends liked the Cod Soup and the Octopus. LUNCH: We had Gyros with Home Cut Fries, Stuffed Calamari, and 1/4 Chicken with Spinach. Again, everything was very good. SERVICE: Our service was first rate. Our server was very nice and--BTW--very funny. The atmosphere was also nice; warm and intimate. A little on the pricey side. We dropped 95 bucks for two apps, two cups of soup, and three lunches (plus tea, coffee, and lemonade). There's a huge sculpture hanging above the dining room that we all decided looks like a giant calamari! -Daddy Maxx Retro
(4)Coleman D.
Arguably the best gyro I've ever had, and I don't mess around when it comes to gyros. The rest of the food is pretty tasty to boot. Fresh cut fries with vinegar is a nice touch. Had a specialty pork gyro one time that was just great. Desserts are yummy too. The decor is fantastic to boot, as is their server, Joe.
(5)Jennifer J.
Let me preface this by saying, my crew literally stumbled upon this place. We had meant to go elsewhere, but didn't want to wait an hour for a table. We were just walking around looking for a restaurant and finally decided that Greek food sounded good. Two of us had the Mousakas, and the other 2 chose the Makaronia me Souvlaki. Mousakas is meant to be a down-home comfort food type of dish, so I was satisfied with the dish. I've definitely had better versions, but it hit the spot for the night. My friends did not love the Souvlaki entree. The pasta was quite bland, and the dish was a bit expensive for what it turned out to be.
(3)Sarah L.
Good food, awful service! Our waiter was unfriendly and rude. Asked for substitutions (salad instead of Greek fries) just plainly said "no!". Would give it another shot on a different day hoping said server could not wait on us. Went 4/24/13. He was the one that does NOT look like Patton Aswalt.
(3)Lyndsay B.
This place is one of our favorites. We do carry out regularly and dine in occasionally. The food is great but service can be a little slow so grab a glass of wine an relax.
(5)Courtney W.
Great place with A LOT of vegan options- always a nice relief. A group of four went for lunch and tried three different appetizers (hummus) - Greek salad and the boughatsa (fillo filled pastries). The owner even came out to meet us! For my boughatsa, I had the lemon leek garlic option (vegan)- very good. Another in our party tried their most famous: spinach feta boughatsa, and another patron had the beef mushroom burgundy... There were zero complaints from us in this arena! The owner, Amy, send the four of us off with complimentary chocolate hazelnut boughatsa to share... Delicious! We all agreed we will be back! Fun fact: 2013 they were voted one of the most healthy dining establishments too!
(4)Charlie B.
Nice atmosphere and friendly people...food was average but I would come back with friends...
(4)William S.
Very nice surprise. Enjoyed the pace of the meal and the food was different than I've had elsewhere and the portion sizes were perfect. I'd never had Moussaka before, though enjoyed it quite a bit. Great ambiance and helpful wait staff.
(4)Yoshii Y.
This place is tucked away in a small strip with sol Yoga and an antique shop. You would have no way of knowing this place ever existed cause they have zero advertising. Nice inside, seems to be family owned. Just got a very basic Greek salad. (pint sized) Waaaay over priced for the super small portion. $7.50!! They do not put enough Greek olives in there either...I found 2. :( Never going back again.
(1)S W.
Back before you could get good groceries in Northeast, (seriously, it was just the world's saddest Rainbow and the world's saddest Supervalu) a nosh of apps at Salonica probably kept me from starvation a few times. That's how long I've been coming to this place, and the menu has seen few changes, only incremental price increase considering the 'hood, and a big time upgrade of atmosphere. This is a breezy, happy, civilized place to nosh and have wine, or have some very pleasant Greek mains done with subdued homey flourishes.(Lack of excitement among main courses would make this place a 3ish star, but if you ignore them, you're going to love this place.) I've had some better main courses at Christos, and many worse ones as well. Salonica is even and competent across the board with its main courses, but I never feel like I spent my money exceptionally well when I order them. I'm a fan of the small plate approach here, frankly. Every app knocks it out of the park, and the filo pastry pies are pretty much as good as it gets. Mushroom is the one I go for, when not doing the usual spinach. It's THE gyro, if you are gonna get "lamb spam" - this is where I think it's worth doing and actually worth mentioning - and bear in mind Gyro is probably my favorite good-bad food, I just have no delusions about its meh-by-nature nature. Yeah, well, this Gyro sings. And it sings to the delicate seasoned by hand fries which are so so nice. After saying all this, the souvlaki is more my thing, sandwich-wise. But I rarely get past doing something like 3 apps and pita with friends and vino. The apps are that good. Even the olives for garnish are good. Amazing warm-weather-cold-food option.
(4)A B.
I'm sure this place is "great" aka tolerable when no one is around but the wait staff and kitchen cannot handle a half full restaurant. I went with a group of 7 people and we were there for 4 hours waiting for our food, and the staff was not eager to fill our drink orders so a majority of the time was spent sipping water. When we did finally get our food after asking the waitress numerous times when it was coming, two orders were wrong and one order didnt come at all. Instead of the waitress jumping to fix the problem she told us it was the kitchens fault and there was nothing she could do about it. We eventually talked to the owner and she said they only have one fryer and thus can't handle when multiple large groups are in (when why do they have the seating for 75+ people in their place?). She comped the meals that were wrong but everyone else food was cold as it had been sitting so everything should have been comped. My gyro was basic and overpriced for what I got. Cold "greek" fries came with it. For people who say this is the "best greek" place in town, check yourself. This is basic greek food with poor service. Also, the building has terrible acoustics and it gets very loud very quickly. Like being in a weird art gallery where you can hear everything the next table is saying even if you are 5 feet away.
(1)A A.
Went on Friday night 7/27 at 8pm - not busy - more like empty - only one other table had two people at it. Here is the plus....The place inside is just beautiful - interesting sculptures/art in and around - aesthetically the place is amazing! What wasnt so amazing were the prices. The lamb shank was a small amount of meat (think turkey leg) in a puddle of lemon flavored broth with a few steamed vegetables on top - and while my gyro was okay, for $8+ I expected more than 10 thin fries and a small sandwich. When we asked for rice to go with all that liquid in the oval plate of lamb we were told they "didnt carry rice" so asked for bread ...waitress came out 5 minutes later and said she "found" rice...but never did get that bread. But the ultimate clincher in the deal was when at 9:30pm (place was open to 10pm per posted hours) the waiter removed my friend's plate from beneath her...AS HER FORK WAS MIDWAY TO HER MOUTH! I told him she was still eating but by then she, and I, were DONE with Gardens of Salonica. Sorry, but if you want the whole experience + good food...try elsewhere.
(1)Maija M.
Been eating here for over 15. They catered my high school graduation party! The owners are so nice, accomodating, friendly & helpful, as are the rest of the staff. The food is always fresh & delicious & reasonably priced. Everything is good, but don't miss the scordalia (sp?) - the garlicy potato spread. Amazing!
(5)Tara J.
What a charming restaurant! Gardens of Salonica is quickly making its way into my normal restaurant rotation. I usually avoid Greek joints due to their lack of vegan eats, but G of S has plentiful (and clearly labeled) vegan selections. The combo appetizer plate is a great option - my favorites include: skordalia, melitzana, fava and horta. I also adore the lemon, leek and garlic boughatsa! For dinner, they have different vegan specials each night as well. The service has been friendly and attentive on each of my visits and the decor is warm and inviting. The beer and wine selection is also great. What's not to love?
(5)Brien G.
Gardens of Salonica is my favorite greek restaurant in Minneapolis. I don't get there often enough, but when I do I enjoy it. I've embraced the slow and wonky service here as part of it's charm. I'm not big into Greek entrees, so I usually do appetizers, soups, and maybe a gyro--and almost always for lunch. Been going here for a decade, and don't see that changing anytime soon. Bring breath mints. Don't try to analyze the artwork.
(4)Erin C.
Gardens of Salonica is the best Greek restaurant in MPLS. Everything that comes out of their kitchen is fresh, home-made (including the pitas), and unbelievably flavorful! I have visited this restaurant too many times to count and every time the food has been consistently fabulous. The staff is friendly, the wine list is perfect, and the price is right. If you want traditional, amazing Greek... don't look any further!
(5)Vivian R.
Went for the second time tonight. First time, several months ago, was good - minor complaint was they didn't have artificial sweetener for their diabetic customers (fortunately our guest had her own and we shared). A first-class place in a big city should think of those things. Tonight the food was ultra-bland. My husband dumped at least a teaspoon of salt on his navy bean soup and his steamed cauliflower. Excuse given was that the executive chef was in Greece, and his daughter was in the kitchen. Even flat-leaf parsley would have helped a lot. At those prices, this is no time for cooking lessons for the chef. I had the pork shoulder, which was also bland, with a very mild avgolemono. Still no sweetener, so no coffee for him. He left angry. We won't be back.
(2)Brooke O.
Very good food. Was a bit pricey for the portion size but they food was good.
(4)Terry Scott N.
What can I say? 5 stars, this should be a 10, happy to have gone to say the least. This cafe & Deli is nothing short of amazing. I have been eating here since 2009, and I have never been disappointed. I remember one of the first times I visited this beautiful, quaintly situated, restaurant. I decided to take a friend out to eat because he was down in the dumps emotionally. I took him for a drive and we ended up parked in front. I told him how I knew this place would cheer him up. We got out in NE Minneapolis and went inside to Greece. My friend is Italian and he is also a major food critic, we ordered some beers and the staple (for me and most others I assume) the gyros with greek fries, and he was extremely impressed, as was I. The ambiance was intriguing, and the food was spectacular... The server greeted us promptly and we proceeded to the bar, where we were seated. The art decor inside was relaxing, beautiful, and modest, yet it was impressive all the same. The wood floors, beautiful art, and relaxed atmosphere inside made me feel comfortable. My eyes were satisfied right as we entered. I felt like I was literally taken to Greece, I could feel the culture, and I could tell this was not just another attempt at authentic, it was actually the real thing. The beers were great, but what I was more impressed with were the main course for our evening: the Gyro sandwiches we ordered, they were savory, generously portioned, and served in an elegant presentation. I was very impressed, and I did not have to spend much for our meal. I left full, or rather satisfied, and happy to have taken in some culture. I Thoroughly enjoy this venue. The food and service is amazing and definitely made from scratch, with creativity and a dedication to greek cuisine. Impressive, I will be back. We are lucky to have a restaurant like this in our midst. It is exactly what I imagined a greek deli & cafe to be. I would suggest this place for a casual, or business lunch, or a dinner time date. Your date will be impressed with your style. This is a stand out place. In a time where a restaurant's titles and claims delegate a crowd, Gardens does not disappoint. Gardens will keep the crowds coming back with a more than satisfactory display of art and food authenticity. I will be back very soon!
(5)Steve T.
Went with old faithful, the gyro. Wifey had the vegan dish of consisting of fava beans and such. It was delicious. My neighbor had the green bean, fingerling potatoes with tomateo vegan special. Also outstanding. The wine selection was priced well and if you and a guest plan on each having 2 glasses of wine, you may as well get a bottle. While it is in the heart of NE, it seems out of the way just enough that the place won't be packed.
(4)Kristin E.
I have been going to this restaurant for years and always love the food. Mythos beer is a must try. You don't go here for the service; it's always spotty. Friday night we never did get our check even after asking so just left cash on the table. Favorite food: spinach feta boughatsa
(4)Sonja D.
I've been here twice - once a few years back with friends and ever since I've been wanting to go back...and I'm not sure why. I've lived in the area for 3 years now.. so I'm crazy? Today I went here by myself. For the first time ever, I dined alone and it felt amazing/liberating in a "I don't look or feel like a loser" sort of way. I biked over here on this beautiful afternoon. I've been craving greek food recently, and while I do love me some Marina, I've been meaning to come back since 09 so what the hell. Plus, I wanted to go to I Like You. Beautiful day + hunger for greek + bike + i like you = genius. I came in and while I do agree with Melissa L. about the layout, I would have to disagree with almost everything else (almost. We'll get to that later). The seemingly one server man looked at me and said hello, but no one was standing at the hostess stand and there was 1 table with women at it. So I decided to just come in and seat myself. I've already been here, so I went to the other room, and sat at the (small.. quaint?) bar. There were 2 other tables of diners there so not very busy at all. The server was very friendly and helpful. He came over to me after me sitting for approximately 2 minutes and asked if I've been helped. The stack of menus were sitting right by me so I helped myself, so I basically knew right away what I wanted. I ordered the small salata and gyros. I put pictures on here so you can see what I'm referring to (I was thinking Yelp material as I ate alone.. naturally). The salata was pretty small, but it actually was the right amount of food for what I needed. It did come with an extra plate with a warm pita bread on it. I thought at first that $5 was sort of spendy for what it was, but considering the pita on the side it was worth it. And really good. However, I don't eat a lot of pita bread so I can't really compare. All I know is this bread rocked my socks. Watch out for pits in your olives though! My gyro came out very soon after I received my salata. I've been sitting for approximately 8 minutes now. Even a different server who must've just started her shift said hello to me. I was very impressed. And I didn't feel weird at all sitting there eating my lunch like I thought I would. The gyro was of good size with lots of tzatziki sauce and onion. While it was very tasty, I would have to say overall I enjoy Marina's gyro a tiny bit more. The sauce WAS extremely garlicy/oniony. I do like garlic and onion A LOT, but I also enjoy my tzatziki sauce to be more cucumbery and fresh tasting. The greek fries that come with were delicious. Fresh sliced potatoes and seasoned very well. I could've asked for ketchup, but I enjoyed them a la carte and occasionally dipped them in my sauce. I finished my salad and about half my plate and asked for a box. They don't have typical styrofoam, oh no. They give you a little cardboard boxed that's lined with a waxy paper and stamped with a "seal" on the top. Loved it. I'm so glad I decided to come here for my first-ever-eat-alone-at-a-sit-down restaurant. The service was quick and friendly (and server dude was really cute in a young sort of way), the food was delicious but a little spendy, and I discovered they do trips to greece. For $2500 + airfare you can take a 15 day toured trip to greece with someone connected to the restaurant. I was very intrigued and REALLY want to go.. but I'm planning a big vacation for my birthday in April so I probably shouldn't commit to it. Check it out! Next time I come here, and there will be a next time, I'm bringing Luke and we're getting dinner. Yum.. can't wait already.
(4)Allison B.
I will go ahead and agree wholeheartedly with the widely-accepted opinion that this is the best Greek food in the Twin Cities/Metro area. I got to our reservation early so I poked around and learned a bit about the history of the restaurant. It turns out that the owners, a husband and wife, opened this restaurant 21 years ago when they moved here from Greece and the authenticity of it's owners is well communicated through the deliciousness of this restaurant's food. We went there for a celebratory family dinner which was a great idea because we ordered a ton of different things and shared. For an appetizer, I would recommend getting the sampler plate - it comes with 3 homemade spreads and an endless supply of warm, fluffy pita bread. We got a roasted eggplant puree, split pee puree with olive oil, onion, and lemon, and a roasted red pepper/feta blend. Needless to say, each one was so good that we used our pita bread to mop up ever last drop because to waste any of it would have been a shame. Moving on to the main courses. My favorites that we ordered were the Ambelodolmades, (little pockets of seasoned rice wrapped in grape leaves - get it with the egg sauce for sure!), Vegetarian Mousakas, and of course, the Gyro. Also, the Greek Fries were sooo flavorful and an definitely a different take on a dish that we Americans are very familiar with. Side note: I remember thinking it was really funny that the menu specified that the fries would NOT be accompanied by ketchup. And my favorite part of any meal, dessert, was simply divine. We got Baklava (of course) which was decent, but I liked the other two desserts a lot better. Correction: I adored them. One was the Rizogalo, a warm greek-style rice pudding with hints of lemon, sugar, and cinnamon. The other was an Apricot Cream Boughatsa, which was a combination of apricots, cream cheese, honey, and spice nestled inside some light, flaky filo dough. The absolute perfect flavor finale to a delicious meal. Not everything about the dining experience was absolutely perfect, I regret to say. The service was the only negative aspect of our evening because the wait staff was very lethargic, almost droid-like, and did not seem to possess a passion for the food they were serving, the history of the restaurant, or the overall dining experience that they are there to foster. Oh well, I'll still go back! If you like Greek food, this is the place to go. Even if you don't like Greek food, you'll definitely become a fan after eating at Gardens of Salonica!
(4)Mary K.
Unfortunately, the cool space is the only reason I can think of to visit this spot. Uninspired and under-seasoned food, as well as pricey for what you get.
(2)Jeff H.
We had the 3 sampler appetizer and it was great...then the real treat Orzo Arni..Lamb in a rich red sauce that was braised for hours with floating Green Beans. This dish is out of this world! Then we had the figs stewed in port and they were great as well although they must have just come out of the frig and if they were served at room temp they'd be even better. Sculpture is inside and out and creates a wonderful environment.
(4)Kedar D.
This is a lovely, cozy cafe that's minimal in decor, but gets tons of sunlight, which makes it feel really inviting and familiar. I really like the atmosphere here, first and foremost. It's also the only Greek restaurant I've been to that has labeled vegan food. Granted, you have to read the descriptions carefully, as the "vegan friendly" disclaimer is buried in the text of the menu, rather than marked with a bright green "V". I had a leek-lemon-garlic Boughatsa ($1.95 for a small one) which was a phyllo dough pastry filled with potatoes and a mash of leek, lemon and garlic. It was quite tasty and would make a great appetizer to go with wine or beer. I also had a "Yigandes" ($8 a la carte) which consisted of lima beans baked with other vegetables/herbs in a tomato sauce. This was one of two vegan entree options. Normally the dish comes with either a soup or a Greek salad, but none of the soups were vegan and the Greek salad has feta. Strangely, they wouldn't allow me to substitute a vegan salad, of which they had four or five different options. The Yigandes was really delicious and simple---lots of olive oil, garlic, onions and a really fresh, home-cooked flavor. It seemed like an excellent sauce more than anything else and I wondered why they don't serve the dish with fettuccine or some kind of egg-free noodle; on its own, the dish is tasty, but feels insubstantial in quantity and needs a starch component. It's definitely a small portion and therefore, at $8, a bit on the pricier side. On a whole, though, I liked the food and atmosphere here. I think they could make a few adjustments to be more vegan-friendly (like adding a couple more dishes and soups, allowing for substitutions of vegan salads, and offering a vegan dessert) but it's still a great, unusual place in the Northeast.
(4)Annie D.
I've had two Greek dinners at Gardens of Salonica. The first time I ordered their leg of lamb special, which was really expensive (did not check the "special" price before ordering). It was also really, really good. And a ton of food. You get a salad or soup and pita bread with the entrees--by the time I get my meal I've been full already so I end up with leftovers (ha!... I would if I wasn't such a champ). Last week I ordered the moussaka (greek "lasagna"), which was yummy but not as tasty as that lamb from the first visit. The lesson is that eggplant will never be lamb. My BF ordered the cabbage rolls, which come stuffed with meat. It would have been a lot to handle as a meal (very rich). I need to learn to make that avgolemono sauce they were sitting in though. It's a traditional lemony-egg soup that they've turned into a sauce. It is so good I could cry. The baklava is also noteworthy but doesn't bring tears.We liked the 1/2 carafe option for house wine, since we didn't want a whole bottle. The service was phenomenal on Friday (it was slow the last time). They had a private party in the main dining room, so everyone was in the cafe side. Our table was right by the kitchen, which most people wouldn't have loved, but we got the best service we've had in a long time! The wait assistants filled up our water glasses before they were ever empty AND the server was friendly AND he brought out our food to the table right away (we could see it come up in the kitchen).
(4)Melissa L.
Do not go here. I don't understand why people like it so much because it sucks. Pros: Interesting rock sculpture things outside. Cons: Weird layout. You walk into an empty room. There are chairs and tables, but no one there. Then you realize you have to walk across the room into another room where they actually serve food. Maybe it's an IQ test. Slow service. I know the slow food movement is gaining momentum, bu it took the server forever to get us menus, get us food, refill my water, and so on. I had to get up from my seat to let my server ask when my check was coming, after he told me ten minutes before he'd get it right away. And I am pretty patient. Have you even seen recreations of dinosaurs getting stuck in tar pits? Replace the dinosaurs with the servers and the tar pit with Gardens of Salonica. The food sucks. Everything was filled with a lot of raw garlic. I understand that garlic has healing properties or something, but you can't avoid OD'ing on raw garlic here. My stomach hated me for two days and even then, I could smell it coming off in waves from my skin. The gyros were ok, but nothing to rave about. I hate that I spent money here. I hate that I could have spent it on a box of Hot Pockets and enjoyed myself more.
(1)Terry N.
What a great place. Went there last night and loved it. My food was great, and my server JJ was excellent. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but don't let that fool you. I think I have a new regular spot.
(5)Randall N.
I love love love love love love love this place. Did I mention that I love it? Though I have never been to Greece I would have to think that is is about as authentic as it gets. For instance it has my favorite Greek dish: Mousaka. (Say it like the hyenas from Lion King say Mufasa and have some fun with it). You would think such a common greek dish would be easy to find in Greek/Mediterranean eateries but alas, this dish can be elusive. And if you do find it, it just tastes horrible. This place makes a KILLER Mousaka. The noodles are cooked just right. The seasoning is perfect. You taste different levels of seasoning including cinnamon and oregano without masking the flavor of the lamb. Also, bechamel sauce can be really overpowering or incredibly buttery or floury but this is neither of those things. Again it enhances the dish with it's creaminess but doesn't overpower. As you can tell I could go on and on about their Mousaka. But I won't. Their rice pudding...wonderful. The melitzana...great. Tzatziki...glorious. I've literally never had anything here that I didn't like. This is possibly my favorite place in the city. One of my favorite things about this place is that it's not tacky ethnic decor. It feels Mediterannean without shouting at you that it is. The woodwork is all light and airy. The art is funky but isn't a focal point in the room. I just love this place. It's great for a quiet, elegant dinner. Mmmmmm.
(5)Stan D.
This is a good place. I'd put it more in the category of a cafe/diner, so tame your expectations and be pleasently surprised. BTW,the gyro is great.
(3)Kevin S.
JJ was the waiter and was SPOT ON for recommendations. The food was simply DIVINE!!!!! Love the FACT they are LOCAL ORGANIC and FREE RANGE and have been for years! Sampler App Platter: 9.25 MELITZANA: oven roasted eggplant pureed with greek olive oil, scallions, parsley, garlic, organic seasonings TYRO: pasteurized feta blended with greek olive oil, roasted red peppers, serrano peppers, garlic, organic seasonings OCTAPODI: braised wild-caught octopus in vinaigrette and organic seasonings Large Platter: 29.95 Select 4 from the meat-only offerings + one regular entree served with pita bread select from: gyros, pork skewer, lamb skewer, chicken breast, soutzoukaki PASTITSIO: baked layers of greek pasta and seasoned local, pasture-raised Zweber Farms ground beef, topped with bechamel cream sauce made of organic milk, Schultz eggs, Hope butter and organic aromatic spices Most Difinetly a GREAT place for Greek food! The Waiter was excellent the Wine was great the FOOD!!!!! STUPENDOUS!!!
(4)Hilary J.
Strengths: - Great service. Their wait staff has just the right balance of being attentive without getting in your face. - Great atmosphere. I have gone dressed up on fancy dates and dressed down for simple dinners and I am welcome and comfortable either way. - Great food. Reliably delicious. And they have been using local, organic, and free-range meats and veggies for years without making a big fuss about it. - Great prices. You can pay a lot more than this in the Twin Cities for the same caliber (or way worse) of local/organic food. Weaknesses: - Far from my house. - Um... Nope, can't think of anything else.
(5)Amber E.
This place makes me wish that I was Greek. The pita bread here is some of the best I've ever had. It's much softer and chewier than the thick frisbees you get at the grocery store. And it's served warm. The bread is made even more amazing when smeared with skordalia and tyro. Our server was always quick to bring more bread when we ran out, which was often, because I was like a Hoover during my visit.
(5)The Center S.
Here in Minnesota, we treasure cuisine from faraway places, so any restaurant whose offerings are not vehicles for ketchup are by necessity unique and fawned over. That said, GOS is a cool spot, in a cool locale. The food is fine, but the portions are far from generous, considering what they charge. The service is unusually slow, but hey, you're eating at a place deemed The Best by the City Pages, so be grateful.
(2)Tony C.
I have never been a big fan of greek food. But this place is pretty tasty. Their food just taste amazing and they have a good list of wines. I took my girlfriend here for our anniversary. She was impressed.
(4)D. L.
I've been going to Gardens since forever, like, since before it expanded, and then expanded again. Like back when they were the size of an alleyway and only had a single counter at which you ordered, then when your food arrived you took it to go or sat down at one of the 3 tiny tables cramped together. But their food has had me coming back again and again. They've never compromised on the quality of their food and a lot of places once they get bigger start looking for ways to cut costs, to the detriment of their food. At Gardens they've stayed true (with the exception of a change in the red wine vinegar they used in their Greek salad...but that was years ago and I've acclimated). The service is leisurely but warm and still professional. It doesn't feel inefficient, rather it feels like they expect you to stay awhile so go ahead and lose track of time here. Everything tastes super fresh and made with lots of care. I could eat a big tub of their Greek salad everyday in the summer and be happy. But I'd also want to save room for their roasted chicken or psito (roast leg of lamb). Their pastitsio and their orzo arni are super comforting and satisfying too. For a lighter meal they have excellent starters and smaller boughatsa/pitsas/sandwiches. They're all good but my favorite is the fava dip/spread and the tyro. Both are really flavorful and fresh tasting. The smooth silky fava is like a fresh, lemony hummus (minus the tahini) and the tyro is a bright tasting tangy feta dip/spread. And it comes with pillowy fresh warm pitas. The melitzana is good too but you have to be a really dedicated garlic lover for that one. And if they have it that day, the galaktoboureko for dessert is sooo good if you like custardy things in flaky filo dough.
(5)Allison K.
I have mixed feelings about Gardens, but my love for Greek food may have biased my rating. I love their appetizers, especially the sampler platter of dips with pita bread. Top notch. I'm not so enamored with the entrees I've had there. This being said, Greek appetizers are really my weakness, not entrees. The last time I was there, I got dolmades in avgolomeno (lemon) sauce. I guess dolmades are more of an appetizer in my book, so bad move on my part - the avgolomeno was too much for an entire entree to be soaked in. But I have been underwhelmed by other entrees as well (namely the pastitsio). Classic gyro is delicious, of course; hard to go wrong. Service was quick, contrary to other reviews. Must depend on the night. Also feelin' the decor - simple and a lot more up-to-date than other Greek restaurants in the area. I'm sure I'll be back (read: Greek food + close to my apt = I can't be stopped).
(4)Michael N.
I went here for a group event. It was a great place for a large group. They provided a ton of food and were very helpful ( a couple of the people in our group were vegetarian and they made some adjustments to the family style menu on the fly. I definitely want to go back and get the lamb. It looked amazing!
(4)Mitzi D.
Yum-mmy. It was an adventure coming here. My friend and I got super lost. Sign-age (is that a word?) was tricky. The restaurant is located right next to the Conga Room, look out for the giant statues in the front. You then enter to the left of where you think you should and follow the blue carpet to their new area. I know. While awaiting another dinner guest we started off with the MELITZANA and eggplant puree served with hot fresh pita bread. YUM! We also ordered a beef mushroom burgundy pastry that was flaky and delicious. I also tried a greek beer Mythos that I am currently craving as we speak. Its a light colored beer that was as creamy as the Irish Kilkenny beer that I love. On to dinner. We all stayed pretty basic ordering Gyros and Souvlaki but they are partnered with Greek fries that were amazing!! Their tzatziki sauce is garlicy (also probably not a real word) chunky goodness. We ran out of time for dessert but next time I want to try the baklava sundae. Ohhhh it was a strange night but the food was well worth the adventure.
(4)Emily U.
There was this one time where I had the weirdest, most awkward dining experience of my life. This was at the Gardens of Salonica. We were on an early afternoon bike ride, but needed fuel to continue our trip.We walked into the deli side, a little shocked that it was empty. An awkward hostess came up to us and took us to the other room which was the actual dining area, I guess. It was sparsely decorated but nice. A long church pew sat on one side of the room with tables and chairs. The thing that was the most eerie was that there were about 4 other couples in the restaurant and nobody was talking. At all. Everyone just stared awkwardly at each other. Of course, this made me laugh. We thought there would have been a lunch menu. But there wasn't. So the entree prices averaged $15-20. I got a small salad and then we ordered some.... beef wrapped in cabbage. Yup, that's about what it it was. Pretty bland and forgettable. At least the pita was soft and good? The service was quick but I don't think I'd go back again. It was just a weird experience. Or maybe I'm awkward too. Ha ha.
(1)Erich M.
The food here is not bad. I've only been to the restaurant once and that was with a couple of friends who really love the place. The service is a bit slow as others have indicated, but that really is in Grecian style. Nothing I would hold against them. The decor is simplistically done in a nice way. Art created by the owner hangs everywhere. The appetizers were actually more enjoyable than the meal. If you're in the area I wouldn't hesitate to stop in for one. Try the Tarama (caviar mousse), it is excellent.
(3)Barry R.
Just a terrific meal. This place always had topnotch food, but the service was dreadful. Well, they got it together. Service is just excellent, especially with a server named Rebecca. Don't miss the beets, yigandes (giant beans), sausages, and lettuce wrapped meat. A great buy can be found on the bottom of the entrees. A choice of two meats and one entree. Enough for two and priced at about 20.00. Great pita, and lots of it. If you aren't too hungry the gyros or chicken souvlaki sandwiches with wonderful French fries will delight you.
(4)Brendan M.
DO NOT GO HERE! I'll say the the food was tasty, albeit small portions. Now that's out of the way, let's get down to business: DO NOT GO HERE!! I can't stress that enough. The service is terrible and slow. You almost feel like you're being purposefully ignored. A member of our party got yelled at when she politely asked what they had on tap. "NOTHING!" the server yelled, even though they say they have tap beers on their menu. We had to ask a different server to talk to our server just to get the check since he disappeared completely. Do yourself a favor, go to Dino's, or Holyland, or Marina, or ANYPLACE but here. It's awful. They must do a lot of first time customer business because you'd have to be a masochist to go back a second time.
(1)Margaret O.
Lemon chicken soup is to die for. Many authentic choices and a nice atmosphere.
(4)Edward M.
I'm visting Minneapolis, my friends took me to Gardens of Salonica for dinner the other night. It was a nice dinner. There were four of us for dinner at 6:45 on the Friday night that we went to Gardens. I cant remember the name of the item we ordered on the menu, it allowed us to chose 4 platters from a list and one entre to go with them, $24. We also got a bottle of their cheap Greek Wine, $16. Our meal was nice, I wish I could remember more from it but the details have already escaped me. It was good food, above average but not amazing. The ambiance was ok. On the good side there is a lot of natural light that comes through the front window. On the bad side the tables were placed a little close together so it didn't feel as private as I would have liked. Out of five stars Food - 3, it was above average. Price - 4, well priced. Ambiance - 2, not so great.
(3)Alexis S.
Many a moon has passed since I have had the pleasure of masticating here, but I do have suchs fond memories. Never one to dine there, always a take out sort of lass. Perhaps it was a bit cramped and sparse, but I did enjoy the art as I sat and waited. I pretty much always got the gyro and if my memory serves me correctly that yummy eggplany garlicy dip, which frankly can't remember the name so my memory serves me quite poorly. I am a big softy for Greek, but really just food in general. I recommend a try, a carry out experience.
(4)Anonymous N.
The food was nice, but I was really annoyed by the slow service. First our waitress forgot our drinks, then she forgot my girlfriend's entree. Very disappointing because the food really is quite decent. Unfortunately the spacey waitress just kind of ruined it. I won't be going back for a while.
(2)Theresa C.
I've been here more than a few times, and yet I've always eaten the same things. They have delicious food, and I'm sure the entrees are great as well. I love the dipsthey offer as appetizers - every single one I've tried is great, and it's fun to get the combo plate to try a variety. Their pitas are amazing as well, and come out grilled slightly on the bottom. Otherwise, I've always had the gyro, which is huge and delicious and comes with their yummy "greek" fries. I like that they have real yogurt tzatziki (sorry if that spelling is butchered!) and not sour cream. The atmosphere is lovely - I like it during the day when it is sunny and bright. Service is good, a bit slower when they're busy but ok overall.
(4)Susan A.
I totally agree with Josh B. This place marches or slunks to its own beat but the Greek food can't be beat! Their gyros are the best in town. The salads, the hummus, that weird lemonade with honey. Real good Greek time. Strange but attractive drift wood and stone iron rod art sculptures everywhere. This might make a nice night time dinner date.
(4)josh b.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in the Twin Cities. It has its own style. The service is always slow but the food never disappoints. They do not try to rush you out it has much more of a European feel to it they want you to enjoy your company and the food. My favorite meal is the a Greek salad with the warm pita to mop up the olive oil in the salad my favorite main dish Pastitsio is total Greek perfection. Enjoy the sculptures by Zoran Mojsilov. Great place to bring spouse on a date.
(4)Lacey P.
Yummmmmm they are voted 2nd best Greek restaraunt in the country by someone. It is really good. Their pita bread is the most tasty, squishy bread I've ever had. All kinds of Greek wines that are hard to find elsewhere. Their cod is to die for. And their baklava will knock your socks off. Whenever I'm in Northeast, I'll stop by for a takeout. Oh yeah, the owners are really nice and they have good art. Best Greek in the city. Yep.
(5)Ira L.
I went there once, and this was surprisingly terrible. The bread was cold, the food was unpleasant, the baklava was old, and to top it off they "run out of Greek salad". How does "Greek Cafe" runs out of a Greek salad? Ugh... Never again... :(
(1)B D.
I went to the Gardens tonight with a friend for dinner. I have been wanting to try it for a while, husbands were out of town so I thought it was an easy decision. I had expected alot more from this restaurant from the reviews that I had read. It was a Saturday night at 7:30, not packed, and they were out of many items already. We had the appetizer trio, octopus, metlzana and anginares. They came all on one plate with no spoon or other serving utensil. They were tasty, the octopus was very tender. For dinner I had the Lachanodolmades (cabbage rolls). There was nothing interesting about them. The "lemon sauce" didn't taste like it had any lemon in it and they were very unappetizing looking. My friend had the ambelodolmades (grape leaves) with the tzatziki sauce. Again, not very appetizing looking. Before hand we had the chicken soup with angel hair pasta and I thougth he said lemon, but I didn't taste it. When it came time for dessert guess what, the item we wanted was out. So, we went with the yougurt and honey which was as expected. Service was ok, not great. All in, I don't think that I will be back here, which is too bad because I love greek food. Guess I will have to get it when I travel to other citiies.
(3)T A.
This is clearly the best Greek restaurant in town. The menu isn't perhaps the most extensive, but the quality of the cooking is a cut above the Twin Cities' other Greek restaurants. I've eaten here many times over the years, and it's always consistently good. I'd recommend anything with avgolemono, the gigantes beans, all of the meze dips, and the fries. You wouldn't think the fries would be anything special, but they just might be the best in town. Seriously, whatever you order, add a side of fries and I promise you'll be happy.
(4)Kevin S.
Cool rock sculpture outside, marginal food, poor service. I enjoy Greek food, but didn't have the greatest experience while dining here. Overall, it seems more of a hobby restaurant than a well run establishment - visit if you'd like to take a tour (the owner operates tours of Greece as well). Better options in Minneapolis.
(2)Alex H.
I've been coming here for years. The Gyro sandwich is hands down the best! get the skordalia and tyro if you like garlic and feta cheese. The service has always been good. I like the ambiance of the place. Great prices for food. Best Greek restaurant in the cities!
(5)Sarah M.
Garlicky heaven. I was just here last night with a couple girlfriends, after a couple years of not visiting this gem of a place. Why did I stay away so long?! Its a funny little space with bizarre (which to me means AWESOME), often phallic sculptures made of wood or stone or metal. The place feels like 2 restaurants the way it is separated and I think it would be an awesome space for a private party on one side. Anyway, onto the food. Get ANY of their dips on the appetizer list and get the greek fries. OMG, get the fries. I haven't tried any of their entrees, but I would recommend coming with friends and sharing a bunch of stuff. The boughatsa's (maaaaybe I spelled that correctly) are delicious too. And the dessert list is filled with lovely things. Only downfall, they were out of several things that we wanted, which was a bummer.
(4)Vera B.
Super good! I had the Gyro with fries and I asked if they could incorporate cheese in there some where and they said the best thing they could do was give me a side order of feta cheese... so they gave me a plate of a big block of cheese! Which I wasn't expecting... But I am a lover of cheese and I accepted it. The store was simple and welcoming. The service was good, a little slow considering it was pretty empty, but I'm not complaining to much because I was extremely satisfied by the food. I would definitely go back for some lunch with a girlfriend.
(4)Jessie W.
Wow - great service and DELICIOUS greek food. Best I've ever had!! You must stop in and try it out. I will definitely go back again. I would love a more romantic atmosphere though, at least candles on the tables. Hint hint!
(5)Dave L.
Good stuff. Went here on my birthday a couple of years ago and Santa Claus was sitting close by. Good atmosphere and interesting beer. I like that they give you tinfoil for doggy bags instead of styrofoam. Styrofoam boxes drive me MAD.
(4)Sheryl H.
We were anxious about having enough food at our inaugural 'Around the World Safely' event. Gardens of Salonica catered Greek salad, wood fired lamb and pitas - a party favorite. So much a favorite we are showcasing their food at our 2013 Around the World Safely event for ClearCause. Delicious!
(5)Jay H.
Went here as a result of a recommendation. Service was very good but food was very medium. There were six of us and we all like Greek food a lot. But this food was not the greatest I have tasted by a long shot. The gyro sub par.
(2)Becca G.
This is a sweet traditional greek cuisine venue in Northeast Minneapolis that's worth checking out! There are two separate dining areas that hold two completely different looks. There's also very substantial artwork and structures both in and outside of the restaurant that's make great conversation pieces. I've eaten here a number of times and plan on going back a number more! The food is very good with some familiar and unique variations then what you'll find in greek cuisine. I was instantly charmed when first finding out that they work with organic and local ingredients whenever possible. Some of the foods that stands out in my dining experiences are: Fava dip - Better than hummus! They use yellow split peas rather the garbanzo beans. Psito - Seasoned and roasted leg of lamb (I LOVE lamb!). It has a more distinct flavor than beef, so if you're not a lamb fan, you CAN'T judge this dish! Also served up with roasted lemon potatoes. This is a wonderfully hardy entree. Baklava - This ISN'T like the other baklava that I've had. I had originally resigned myself to stop eating baklava until I tried Gardens of Salonica's version. It doesn't have that sickly-oversaturated-sweetness that most contain. I found out that they add the honeyed syrup after baking it rather than before. This detail made all the difference in the world! Besides the great food, I'm even more drawn to their efforts in drawing community together. A couple events that they offer, that anyone can participate in, are their monthly Symposia series (featured speaker, meal, and folks to dine with) and their bi-annunal trips to Greece. It's on my bucket list!
(4)Alice M.
This is closer to a 3.5, but we did enjoy our night with Santa & mrs. Claus here tonight hah! We were both impressed with our waitress off the bat as she rattled off extensive details of their many specials. They all sounded good but we ended up trying the combination plate, grilled saganaki, gyro sandwich and a spinach feta boughatsa. The pita, saganaki, tzatziki, and gyro were quite good and id like to come back on a Friday for their fresh gyro. The boughatsa could've been fresher and we felt the bill was a bit high ($5 for a bottle of nordeast after they were out of our first two choices!), but overall this is good Mediterranean fare that I would consider coming back for.
(4)Vy B.
Greek food has always been a favorite category of mine and I consider Gardens to be top notch in the Twin Cities. I would give it five stars but the service is so slow I can't even handle it. Every time I come here I have to plan on leaving an extra 45 minutes of buffer time because I never know how the service will go. One time I swear it took 25 minutes for feta cheese and pita bread. They must have been milking a goat in the back to make some fresh cheese. Regardless, Gardens keeps me coming back because of the authenticity of the food, flavors in the entrees, and freshness in the ingredients. It's very obvious they don't cut corners and that they put care into the food they make. Love: spanakopita, gyro, souvlaki, Plaki fish dish with tomato wine sauce, greek salad, moussaka, and skordalia potato garlic dip, house fries Loathe: Nothing!
(4)